Nomad List| 🏆 Nomad Score™ | 168 reviews |
| 💵 Cost | |
| 📡 Internet | |
| 😝 Fun | |
| ⛅️ Temperature (now) | |
| 💦 Humidity (now) | |
| 💨 Air quality (now) | |
| 👌 Safety | |
| 👍 Quality of life | |
| 🚶 Walkability | |
| ✌️ Peace | |
| 🚦 Traffic safety | |
| 🏥 Healthcare | |
| 😄 Happiness | |
| 🍸 Nightlife | |
| 📶 Free WiFi in city | |
| 🖥 Places to work from | |
| ❄️ A/C or heating | |
| 😁 Friendly to foreigners | |
| 🙊 English speaking | |
| 🗯 Freedom of speech | |
| 🤚🏿🤚🏻 Racial tolerance | |
| 👩 Female friendly | |
| 🌈 LGBT friendly | |
| 🎅 Startup Score |
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| 🌍 Region | Asia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚩 Country | Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⏱ Average trip duration | 2 days | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📡 Internet speed (avg) | 7 Mbps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛅️ Weather | 🌥 29°C 85°F + 💦 Humid (94%) + 💨 2km/h = Feels like 38°C 100°F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💨 Air quality (now) | 👍 34 µg/m3 equal to 🚬 🚬 / day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🔌 Power | 230V50Hz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚕 Best taxi app | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 📱 Best wireless carrier | Dialog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💸 1,000 LKR in USD | USD 5.54 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏧 Suggested ATM take out: LKR 100,000 | USD 554 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💳 Cashless society | 💵 No, cash only (esp. for foreigners) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ☕️ Best coffee place | Natural Coffee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🚰 Safe tap water | 🚫 No, not drinkable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ♻️ Return rate | 0% of visitors return | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 130,000 people | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 👫 Gender ratio | 👨 49% 👱♀️ 51% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ⛪️ Religious government | Religious | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 🏠 Apartment listings | La Mudi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best short-haul air carrier | Sri Lankan Airlines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ✈️ Best int'l air carrier | Sri Lankan Airlines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| islandno-beachwarm nowwarmhotclean airgood air qualityslow internetcheap cost of livinghigh humiditymany womenfriendly people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 💵 Nomad Cost™ | $1,046 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for expat | $550 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for family | $864 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for local | $247 / month |
| 🏠 1br studio rent in center | $79 / month |
| 🏢 Coworking | $200 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $568 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel | $27 / night |
| 🏠 Airbnb (755 listings) | $1,224 / month |
| 🏠 Airbnb | $40 / night |
| 🍝 Dinner | $1 |
| 🍹 Coca-Cola (0.3L) | $1 |
| 🍺 Beer (0.5L) | $2 |
| ☕️ Coffee | $2 |
Based on Kandy's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:
 | Senior Programmer Analyst UX Develo... @ Edward Jones |
 | Product Designer @ Filestage |
 | Product Manager @ ReCharge Payments |
 | Senior Front-End Developer @ PolySwarm |
Really quite hectic and not a very nice city. I wouldn't spend more than a day or two here, not much to see, and there aren't many places to work/eat/see. You're better off heading down to the beaches for some sunshine and beach as well as much faster WIFI.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 38° 100° 29° 85°🥵AQI 34🚕0min$1,047 / mo7Mbpsfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgrfdfdfgfggfdgdgdffegegegergrgr
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 40° 104° 31° 88°🥵AQI 32✈️12min$601 / mo8MbpsEverything just works. The food by Singaporean Hawkers are world-class for a good price too. 👌
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 43° 109° 32° 89°🥵AQI 70😷✈️4h$2,910 / mo83MbpsDon't believe the prices on here for an apartment. 686 usd/month refers to an apartment in a high class condo, right in the city centre and seconds away from the BTS(train station). Just remember this, people working at supermarkets make 2 usd/per hour. If you want to live like a local, then you can save a lot of money. If you don't mind a 5-10 minute walk from the BTS, then you can easily get a one bedroom apartment for 300 USD per month, in a high class condo, plus with free golf cart service to the BTS station. I have literally gone to a restaurant to pay 8 USD for a meal, when the exact dish was available on the street for only 1 USD and tastes much better. I ate out everyday and went partying a couple of times a week, and my total monthly expenses was still under 1000 usd. TIPS -Gyms are fucking expensive in Thailand. Expect to pay at least 60 USD/month for the gym, which is crazy when you consider the average wage in Thailand is 15 usd/per day. -Vitamins and supplements cost double the price than what you would get at home. Thais do not take supplements. Maybe only foreigners and really rich Thais. People spending 1500 USD per month must be eating steak daily and hanging out at places meant for foreigners.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 42° 108° 35° 96°🥵AQI 89😷✈️3h$1,516 / mo🌇 Also went here15 peopleI have been told it's the vanilla of digital nomads : easy, cheap, risk free. I loved it so much I want to move there ! Great food, great places to see and awesomely polite and nice people.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels 43° 109° 32° 90°🥵AQI 75😷✈️3h$1,121 / mo🌇 Also went here15 peopleI think KL will be the next hub for nomads. It's affordable, safe, convenient, has decent Internet and has decent weather. (Yes it's hot during the summer but it gives you a good reason to be inside and get your work done) Mostly it's quite chill, not as hectic and messy as other major SEA cities like Bangkok, Hanoi and Jakarta. There's not that much to do, but Malaysia has wonderful nature and getaway places, accessible with cheap AirAsia tickets from KL.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 51° 124° 34° 93°🥵✈️3h$1,312 / mo🌇 Also went here9 peopleEverything just works. The food by Singaporean Hawkers are world-class for a good price too. 👌
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 43° 109° 32° 89°🥵AQI 70😷✈️4h$2,910 / mo🌇 Also went here12 peopleMain advantage of Vietnam in general is the ease of getting a visa. That's real nice but there are some big problems here. The food is terrible. Bland soups with slippery, boring rice noodles topped with weird stuff like pig's feet are not my idea of a good meal. Neither are sandwiches with fatty mystery meats. Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia all have way better food. The sushi I've had here was also terrible. The city itself is pretty ugly. Every building is the same tall, skinny shape. Overall safety is low and you'll probably end up in a traffic accident if you stay here long enough. It costs more to rent a place and if you're on a low budget you'll likely end up in a home stay or guesthouse when you could have rented an apartment for the same price in another city. Many places have curfews, even as early as 8pm, so make sure to ask your Airbnb about that because they won't bother to mention it in the listing. Stay in D1/D10/D3/D4/Phu nhuan. Avoid Tan phu, D7, D2, Tan binh, and Go vap. Avoid the rainy season.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 46° 115° 33° 91°🥵AQI 77😷✈️4h$1,034 / mo🌇 Also went here10 peopleI lived in Hanoi for 3 full months and I really loved it. Hanoi has a big foreigner district called 'Tay Ho'. If what you are looking for is somewhat foreigner(English) friendly, the spot is yours. However I preferred to stay in the Japanese area that was full of good sushi. The charm of the city comes from the people. Vietnamese are aggressively kind and way too friendly. I even rented a piano from a local shop, placed it at home and played it. Took private Muythai lesson from a local gym where the instructor speak no single word of English. Had beautifully tasted egg coffee from a local coffee shop and delicious bun-cha, pho and bahn mi. Went to a local market to buy fruits and veggies. Had beers and hookah in the old quarter. Made a best friend with piano teacher and my bf's barber(!). Hanoi is the city that wonderful things happen :)
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 33° 91° 29° 83°AQI 172😷✈️4h$1,023 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleCompletely artificial and touristy city. The only locals you see are there to serve tourists. Gets extremely packed from afternoon to night time. Hoards of Chinese tourists. But tons of great food with many international cuisines, and still cheap to rent. So if all you care about is the comforts of home at a cheap price, maybe you’d like it, but I would never visit here for more than 2-3 days let alone be a nomad here.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 37° 99° 29° 84°🥵AQI 16✈️4h$1,058 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peoplePersonally I hated it. Being somewhat of a SEA vet, I found it crowded, over touristed, expensive and with too many annoying hipsters. You can't walk ten feet without a scooter blocking your path and a red eyed local going "Taxi?" Literally every ten feet in Semniyak. Canggu maybe isn't so bad, but still the traffic is annoying. The roads are super small and traffic is horrible. If you're into walking places, Canngu isn't for you. You'll get run over. So either drive a scooter or get used to dealing with the taxi mafia. There's a war between them and ride hailing apps at the moment. So when you call a grab, after he drops you off there's a chance he'll be beaten to death. But this is normal around the world at the moment, for less affluent countries anyway. Pros? It's beautiful. Lots of stuff to see and do. Unfortunately you'll be charged money for literally everything, including walking through rice paddies. The landscapes, the architecture. I know Bali is a big island with a lot to do. You can rent a villa for $1200 usd a month and live like a drug dealer with your own indoor swimming pool. So gather four nomads and have your own gated compound. Lots of nightlife, clubs, if you're into that stuff. I'm not. For parties I'd rather go to a beach place with hippies in Thailand. The local food is good, the tourist food is amazing if you're willing to pay western prices. But the quality is very high. Overall it's not an expensive place, but it can be. I know Bali is a huge island but I'm just referring to Canggu. It's just to westernized for me. Too crowded with westerners. But if you want to go meet nomads and do western priced fitness, meditation and yoga classes it's the place to be. Plus the beaches are super polluted. Argh. I couldn't wait to leave. I doubt I'll be back soon. But if I do I'm definitely renting a villa and learning to surf. Cool place to do business. But not a place I'd want to live for long. Maybe I'll give it another chance one day.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 49° 120° 35° 95°🥵AQI 28✈️6h$1,392 / mo🌇 Also went here11 peopleUbud is great for older nomads over 35 who are over the party scene. It has great amenities like coworking spaces (HUBUD and Outpost), a dope-ass gym (Titi Batu) and some of the best yoga studios in the world (Yoga Barn and Radiantly Alive). And that's not even mentioning the food, which is incredible. Cons: no Uber or metered taxis so getting around is a total pain and the wild dogs at night can be treacherous. Overall, I don't understand why it's slipped in the rankings bc it really is awesome.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels 58° 136° 36° 96°🥵AQI 22✈️6h$1,927 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleNot cheap, but you get what you're paying for. Really nice, comfortable city, not too dirty or crowded, awesome food, and lots to do
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels 31° 88° 30° 85°🥵AQI 32✈️11h$3,044 / mo🌇 Also went here8 peopleI have been living in London for over 2 years as a student. It's ridiculously expensive. However, there are options. What I like about the city is you can find many events anytime you want. It's active all year 24/7. There are so many foreigners and tourists which make the living more vibrant and less racist. London has sub-communities which I think is a good thing. Those communities bring their cultures, ethics and foods. Public transportation and restaurants are great. I used to spend 3-4 hours in Costa or Nero cafe without interruptions. Though if it's raining or summer season it could be hard to stay long. On the negative side, the UK suffers from slow and old bureaucracies making life difficult sometimes. It's not easy to open a bank account or to rent. The government systems are slow. Also, you will feel depressed in winter when the sunset is before 4pm and the temperature is 0c. All in all, everything is great about the city except the affordability and the winter.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 7° 45° 9° 48°AQI 31✈️12h$4,060 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleAmazing place! Definitely one of the most underrated countries in western Europe.
🎒 Nomad 💵 Cost 📡 Internet 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 18° 64° 18° 65°AQI 40✈️13h$2,029 / mo🌇 Also went here7 people✅ Affordable to live
✅ Pretty safe
✅ Lots of fun stuff to do
✅ Warm all year round
✅ Good air quality on average
✅ Spacious and not crowded
✅ High quality of education
✅ Roads are pretty safe
✅ Democratic
✅ People can speak basic English
✅ Safe for women
✅ Not many people smoke tobacco
❌ Pretty slow internet
❌ Very humid now
❌ Not many nomads go here
❌ Very difficult to make friends
❌ Difficult to do business
❌ Hospitals are pretty bad
❌ Freedom of speech is weak
❌ Hostile towards LGBT
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